Wikipedia

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A collaborative online resource that provides extensive, user-edited articles on diverse subjects to promote accessible knowledge sharing
2. A digital platform that hosts a multitude of information sources, featuring content created and modified by users from around the globe
3. An online encyclopedia that allows users to contribute and edit articles on a wide range of topics, facilitating the sharing of knowledge and information globally

Etymology: Larry Sanger coined "Wikipedia" in 2001 as a blend of two existing words: "wiki" and "encyclopedia." The first half comes from Hawaiian, where "wiki wiki" means "quick" or "fast." Ward Cunningham borrowed it for the first wiki, a website that anyone could edit through a browser, launched in 1995. The name fit because Cunningham wanted quick, informal editing, and "wiki" became a generic term for that style of collaborative site. The second half traces back a long way. "Encyclopedia" was built from Ancient Greek "enkyklios paideia," meaning "general education" or "all-round learning," where "enkyklios" meant "circular," as in a complete cycle of subjects. Medieval Latin and later European languages turned this into "encyclopaedia," and English adopted it in the 1500s. So the name joins a Hawaiian word for speed with a Greek phrase for a full circle of knowledge.

Synonyms: encyclopedia, reference, source, resource, compendium